Why do we eat out more?

The simple answer – we can. Today food is cheaper than at any time in the past, using up barely 11% of our disposable income. And, we produce more food than at any time in our history, enough to feed everyone in the U.S. 3,900 calories a day.

You are constantly enticed to eat. Chain restaurants line up like dominos along major roads. Have you ever visited a mall without a food court? And, at midnight in most towns, there is at least one 24-hour store, pizza parlor, ice cream store, or newsstand open with food to purchase. Large cities have so many places open all night; it makes you wonder where everyone is eating during the day.

There are other factors that urge us to regularly eat out or take-out – ubiquitous, appealing advertising, coupons, give-aways such as "kids eat free, " and time-crunched families where both adults work and commute farther, taking time away from all household tasks, including meal preparation.

Should food chains and restaurants help us eat better?

Yes, it makes good sense from a marketing standpoint to be on the right side of the obesity battle. Companies are lining up to show they are allies in the fight. Over 50% of chain restaurants now provide nutrition information on websites, at point-of-purchase, or as booklets. Smaller chains and individuals restaurants are having a harder time doing this because the menu may change daily and the cost of a complete menu analysis can be as much as $50,000. But, even without analysis figures, foods can be prepared with less fat, salt and sugar, more fruits and vegetables can be used as add-ons, and calories-in-a-glass can be curbed with low calorie/no calorie options. And, portions of everything, from drinks to desserts, can be made smaller. No one needs a 26-ounce porterhouse or a 32-ounce soda. Even without exact numbers, these changes would impact on better nutrition and lower calorie intakes.

Companies are making changes. Subway, a sandwich chain, advertises lower fat sandwiches and a "regular customer" who lost over 100 pounds eating at their chain. Fast food giants like McDonalds and Wendy´s are adding fruit sides, more salads, and lowfat milk to their menu boards. Fresh is best, and grilled is better are common themes for new item roll-outs. Chains, such as Season 52, have dedicated their entire menu to healthier choices. Companies are packaging cookies, crackers, ice cream and pretzels in 100-calories packs, teaching us portion-control. And, whole vending machines are devoted to water.

But the biggest question of all – Do Americans really want to eat better?

And the answer is – nobody knows for sure. Eating well and baking from scratch have much in common. We all love the outcome but few take the time to do it. We say we want healthier food choices in restaurants but among the top 10 menu choices are: French fries, burgers, pizza, chicken nuggets, and diet soda. Do people think that if they order a diet soda they have license to indulge on other items? When provided with "healthy" choices, many steer clear. They equate low fat, low salt, or low calorie with less tasty, less appealing choices.

Most people choose to go to a restaurant – fast food, ethnic or white table cloth – on the basis of what they want to eat and what they want to pay, not what´s good for them. People still view dining out as an opportunity for indulgence, but the opportunity is occurring far too often.

The diehards and health conscious will always eat well. Getting the everyman to eat well is another issue. And, like smoking, eating poorly is a public health issue. Certainly, we need to provide more public education. But, should we be teaching good nutrition in the general or concentrate on calories as a specific? One can eat poorly and eat too little. And, one can eat well but eat too much.

Who holds the ultimate responsibility for slimming Americans – restaurants, food companies, government, health professionals, schools, families, or individuals? Healthy food and nutrition information should be available, but the final choice is up to each of us. People can´t be legislated into eating right. The best to hope for right now, is the next time you go out to eat, you´ll think about this article before you order.

© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.

Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 26 consumer nutrition books. The latest is The Most Complete Food Counter, 2nd ed., Pocket Books, 2006.